Distinguished Service Order (DSO)

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BARTHOLOMEW, Peter Ian (Lt Col)

Peter Ian Bartholomew No 3 Commando
Peter Ian Bartholomew served in No 12 Commando until their disbandment when he moved to No 3 Commando. He participated in the D Day landings as Captain of 2 troop.  On the Commando's return to NW Europe from the UK in 1945, he took command of No 3 Commando with the rank of Acting Lieutenant Colonel. 
 
He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for gallant and distinguished service in North West Europe, the award being published in June 1945.
(Source: London Gazettes Supp. 37138, page 3231.)

BLACK, Graeme Delamere

Captain Graeme Black DSO, MC, was executed whilst a Prisoner of War. He was one of the seven Commandos of No. 2 Commando who were captured after Operation Musketoon, and later executed under Hitler's Commando Execution Order, at Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, Berlin, 1942.

He was awarded the MC in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in successful combined operations, against the enemy at Vaagso and Maaloy.

He was awarded the DSO in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the field.

BOUCHER-MYERS, Bertram William Sydney

Major Boucher-Myers 4 Commando
Bertram Boucher-Myers took part in the Lofoten and Dieppe raids receiving a MiD for the the latter [1], after which he was posted to the Staff College at Camberley. In 1946 he served with the East Lancs in India during their transition to independence. In 1949 he was posted to the military mission in Greece followed by a 2 year attachment to the Sudan Army.

CHURCHILL, John Malcolm Thorpe Fleming (Lt Col)

After a brief spell as 2i/c No 5 Commando, the then Major John Malcolm Thorpe Fleming Churchill (later affectionately known by some as Mad Jack) moved to 2i/c No 3 Commando. Shortly after Lt Col Newman [more...] was taken prisoner at St Nazaire in 1942, Major Churchill was promoted Lt Col. to replace him as OC No 2 Commando. Lt Col Churchill remained OC until he was also taken prisoner during Operation Flounced [more...] in 1944. 

COPLAND, William Oranmore

Major William Copland was 2 i/c No 2 Commando. He served with No 4 Independent Company and then with the newly formed No 2 Cdo. He took part in Operation Chariot and was awarded the DSO for his gallantry on the raid. He was taken prisoner after the raid.
 
Citation

CUNNINGHAM, William

Captain William Cunningham was awarded the M.C. for gallant and distinguished service[1], whilst commander of 'Y' troop at the Pachino Peninsula, Sicily, on the 10th July 1943 [2].
 
Sources
[1] London Gazette Supp. 36229, page 4812.
[2] National Archives file WO373/47/132.
 

GRAY, Thomas Malcolm (Lt Col)

Post WW2 and now with the rank of Colonel, Thomas Malcolm Gray DSO, MC, died whilst serving at HMS President.
 
In World War Two he was Commanding Officer of 41RM Commando on D Day and later Commanding Officer of 46RM Commando during the River Rhine crossing. He was awarded the MC whilst  Captain (Acting Lieutenant-Colonel) of 41RM Commando.
 

Citation for the MC

HAYDON, Peter Hillyard

Captain Peter Haydon, DSO, was killed during operations at Walcheren.
 
He had earlier been awarded the DSO for conspicuous gallantry and leadership in driving off repeated attacks by the enemy on the road from Salerno to Naples, though he was wounded and his men outnumbered by the enemy.*
 

HOPSON, Donald Charles

Donald Charles Hopson
Second Lieutenant Donald Hopson was commissioned into the Lancashire Fusiliers which later converted to an armoured unit of the Royal Armoured Corps. He served in No 3 Commando and 1 Commando Brigade in both Italy and NW Europe . His last rank whilst in the Commando was Temporary Major.
 
Post war he had a distinguished career in the Diplomatic Service. He held posts of Ambassador to countries such as Laos, China, Venezuela, and Argentina. He was subsequently knighted.
 

JACKSON, Matthew John Andrew

Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Jackson received the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in Iraq [1].
  • Appointed D.S.O., in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Afghanistan during the period 1 October 2012 to 31 March 2013 [2].
  • 5 November 2013 promoted Colonel [3].
  • 11 December 2018 promoted Brigadier [4].
Source
[1] London Gazette Supp. 59182, page 15643 published 11 September 2009.

KOMROWER, Arthur George

Arthur George Komrower DSO
Lieutenant (Temporary Captain) Arthur Komrower was appointed D.S.O. [1] in recognition of gallant and distinguished service whilst temporarily commanding No. 3 Commando during operations at Termoli, Italy, between 4 -6 October 1943 [2]. This was during Lt. Col. Peter Young's short period of illness with malaria [3]. 
 

LEICESTER, Bernard William

Brigadier Bernard Leicester DSO
Brigadier Bernard William 'Jumbo' Leicester commanded 4 Special Service Brigade. He was awarded the DSO for  gallant and distinguished service during the landing of Allied Forces in Normandy and during the advance to the River Seine.
 
Sources
National Archives file WO 373/47/35.
London Gazettes Supp. 36947, page 997.

LEWIS, Anthony David (Lt Col)

Officer Commanding No 6 Commando  from June 1944 onwards.
 
Commissioned as a 2/Lt in 1939 he was serving in France as part of the BEF.   A veteran of Dunkirk, he was promoted 2/Lt to Lieutenant 3rd Jan 1941. After a brief spell with No 4 Commando before rejoining the Dorsets to take part in Operation Torch , he would volunteer for and join No 6 Commando whilst out in North Africa. 
 

LOVAT, Lord

Lord Lovat first enlisted in the Scots Guards in 1932, leaving the army in 1937.  Two years later at the outbreak of war he rejoined the Army in the Lovat Scouts.  Lord Lovat was part of a small but elite group of men who formed the idea of a Special Training Centre, agreed on the location, and devised and implemented a course of training once it was approved. This became the first  of many Special Training Centres, STC Lochailort.

The training took place in and around the camp at Lochailort, Lord Lovat's role being Fieldcraft instruction.

MADOC, Reginald William

Major General Reginald Madoc D.S.O., O.B.E., was appointed C.B. on 1st January 1959 [1].
  • 1951 (Lieut. Col. 42 CommandoRM) appointed O.B.E. for gallant and distinguished services in Malaya [2].
  • 1957 (Brigadier 3 Cdo. Bde. RM) appointed D.S.O. for gallant and distinguished services in the Operations in the Near East, October to December 1956 [3].
Extract from the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, Kings College

MESSENGER, Gordon Kenneth

General Gordon Kenneth Messenger, C.B. D.S.O. O.B.E., was appointed K.C.B. on 11 June 2016 [1].
  • 16 May 2016 promoted General and to be Vice Chief of the Defence Staff and Aide-de-Camp to Her Majesty The QUEEN [2].
  • Appointed C.B. 13 June 2015 [3].
  • Bar to D.S.O. in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in Afghanistan [4].

MILLS-ROBERTS, Derek (Brig)

Born in 1908; educated at Liverpool College and Oxford University; worked for his father's firm of solicitors, 1935; joined Supplementary Reserve of Officers, Irish Guards, 1936; joined 1 Bn, Irish Guards, 1939-1942, and served in Norway; transferred to special services No 4 Commando, 1942; took part in Dieppe Raid, Aug 1942; Lt Col, 1943; Commanding Officer, No 6 Commando, North Africa, 1943; Brig, 1944; commanded 1 Special Service Bde (later 1 Commando Bde), North West Europe, 1944-1945; accepted the surrender of FM Erhard Milch at Neustadt, May 1945; retired from Army, 1945; commanded 12

O'FLAHERTY, Denis William Venables Patrick

Denis William Venables Patrick O'Flaherty
Brigadier O'Flaherty
Lieutenant Denis O'Flaherty, No. 3 Commando 6 troop, was appointed DSO in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in successful combined operations against the enemy at Vaagso and Maaloy on December 27th 1941 [1]. He additionally received a Mention in Despatches during this operation [1].
 
Lt. O'Flaherty was severely wounded during the operation, being shot in his eye, jaw, and neck, after which he was hospitalised for two years [2]. 
 

PHILLIPS, Cecil Farndale

Acting Lieutenant Colonel Cecil Farndale Phillips was the Commanding Officer of No. 47 Royal Marine Commando, Royal Marines, during operations at Normandy and Walcheren.  Post war he commanded  3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines during operations in Malaya. 
 
  • 1 September 1923 appointed Probationary 2nd Lieutenant RM [*].
  • 1 September 1935 promoted Captain [*].
  • 1 August 1943 - 3 January 1945 Commanding Officer 47RM Commando [*].

ROY, Donald William

Captain Donald Roy DSO
The then Private Donald William Roy (late Cadet, Fettes College Contgt., Jun. Div., O.T.C.). received his commission into the Liverpool Scots TA on the 17th June 1939. He was mobilised in August 1939 and posted to the 2nd Battalion. He volunteered for the Independent Companies and was posted to No 3 Platoon,  No 4 Independent Company. In May 1941 he and the rest of No 4 Ind. Coy sailed as part of Scissors Force to Norway (Operation Avonmouth).   When they returned he was posted to 'B' Coy. No 1 Special Service Bn.

SCHOFIELD, Dudley Raymond

Lieutenant Dudley Schofield was awarded the DSO [1] in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the field. He was one of the Commando contingent that took part in operations from HMS Triumph against the Palermo and Messina railway on the 29/30 August 1941. His party could not be re-embarked and were subsequently captured. He was eventually imprisoned at OFLAG IX A/Z Rotenburg An Der Fulda.

SHAW, David Mackenzie (Lt Col)

Lt Col Shaw OC No 5 Commando
Commanding Officer No 5 Commando when they sailed to India in November 1943 until the 12th September 1944 when he relinquished his command to Lt Col Pollitt and rejoined his Regiment, the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
 
In 1940 the then Captain (Acting Major) David Mackenzie Shaw was awarded the MC for his gallantry serving with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
 
Citation for the MC.

TAILYOUR, Norman Hastings

Lieutenant General Norman Tailyour was knighted in June 1966.
 
  • 1945, 8 January, Commanding Officer 27RM Battalion [1].
  • 1945, D.S.O. for gallant and distinguished services in North West Europe with 27 RM Bn. [1, 2].
  • 1945, MiD in recognition of good services with the 21st Army group [3]. 
  • 1954 December, Commanding Officer 45 Commando RM [4].  
  • 1955, Bar to D.S.O. during operations in Cyprus with 45 Commando RM [4,5].

TOD, Ronald John Frederick (Brig)

Commissioned  into the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders in 1925. Served in No 6 Independent Company and was  Officer Commanding No 11 Independent Company in 1940 and later took command of No 9 Commando in 1942.  Awarded DSO, and later a Bar to the DSO, each for "gallant and distinguished services in Italy " whilst commanding No 9 Commando in 1944.  Promoted Brigadier and Officer Commanding 2 Commando Brigade,  in 1945 he was awarded a CBE for "gallant and distinguished services in Italy."
 

Commando Association Newsletter 61 of 1975.

TREVOR, Kenneth Rowland Swetenham (Lt Col )

Officer Commanding No 1 Commando 1943 - 1945.
 
Ken Trevor joined No 1 Commando in 1941.  As Captain of 1 troop in 1942 he took part in a raid at St Cecily Plage  and the later Operation Torch landings. He received a Mention in Despatches (MiD) in N. Africa. He took over command of No 1 Commando from his cousin Tom Trevor when the Commando sailed to India in 1943. During the campaign in Burma he was awarded the DSO for gallant and distinguished services.
 

TWEED, David Gratiaen

Captain (Acting Major) David Gratiaen Tweed received a Mention in Despatches in September 1945 for good services with the 21st Army Group [1]. 
 
  • 12 February 1946 (Acting Major) appointed M.B.E. (Military Division) for gallant and distinguished services in North West Europe [2]. 
  • 19 October 1951 (Major) received a Mention in Despatches for gallant and distinguished services in Malaya [3]. 

YOUNG, Peter (Brig)

Brigadier Peter Young
Then then Major Peter Young
Peter Young was commissioned Second Lieutenant in 1939. He served in France with the British Expeditionary Force before being wounded and evacuated back to the UK at Dunkirk.  Joining No 3 Commando in the first selction of officers after its formation, the next few years would see Peter Young rise to the temporary rank of Lieut. Colonel and assume command of No 3 Commando in late 1943. He took part in the early raids on Lofoten and Vaagso, being awarded his first MC for his "gallant and distinguished services" during the latter. 
 

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